Jumping Verona 2025
Jumping Verona is the equestrian heart of the annual Fieracavalli festival, staged in Verona, Italy, and remains Italy’s only stage in the World Cup circuit. The 2025 edition forms part of the 2025 to 2026 season of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Western European League and served as the third leg of the series. The blend of a historic equestrian festival, a purpose-built arena and the world’s top jumpers gives Jumping Verona its distinctive character. The energy in the five-thousand-seat arena is palpable, fuelled by passionate fans from across Europe and a deep appreciation for tradition and sporting excellence.
For competitors and spectators alike, the atmosphere is a celebration of horsemanship, precision and courage. The show reinforced Verona’s reputation as a must-attend stop on the international showjumping circuit. For the wider sport, Jumping Verona delivers a level of performance and intensity that helps define the standard for the indoor season ahead.
With a capacity of five thousand spectators, the show hosts top international riders and their horses over multiple days. The 2025 entry list featured many of the world’s leading competitors, including Olympic and European champions, top ranked talents and national stars.
The CSI5*-W Format and Level of Competition
Daniel Deusser (GER) and Otello de Guldenboom. ©FEI/Massimo Argenziano
The qualifier is held under the CSI5*-W classification, the highest rung in international showjumping. It is reserved for the world’s elite riders and horses, with fences at maximum height and competition at the strongest possible level. However, across the four days, Jumping Verona features a mix of classes, culminating in a Grand Prix-style World Cup class. The 2025 programme included a CSI5*-W 1.55 metre Equipe and KASK speed class on Friday, followed by the main 1.60 metre World Cup Grand Prix on Sunday.
The Grand Prix course, designed by Uliano Vezzani, posed a demanding and technical test that required accuracy, boldness and rhythm. As expected at this level, only a fraction of the forty starters cleared the first round, with just seven combinations reaching the jump-off.
Standout Performance: Daniel Deusser and Otello de Guldenboom
At the centre of attention was Daniel Deusser of Germany and his eleven-year-old stallion Otello de Guldenboom. Their performance across the weekend was exceptional. On Friday, the pair secured victory in the CSI5*-W 1.55 metre Equipe and KASK speed class. Otello delivered a fast and faultless round in 63.07 seconds, overtaking early leads.
On Sunday, they returned in top form for the World Cup Grand Prix. In a tense jump-off against six other clear combinations, Deusser produced a round that stopped the clock at 36.13 seconds, a time that proved unbeatable. Among the riders challenging him were Olympic champion Christian Kukuk with Just Be Gentle, European champion Richard Vogel on Cloudio, and Switzerland’s Alain Jufer with Dante MM. Jufer finished second with a clear round in 36.92 seconds, while Kukuk secured third in 37.31 seconds. Italy’s Emanuele Gaudiano delighted the home crowd with fourth place aboard Esteban de Hus in 37.54 seconds.
For Otello de Guldenboom, the weekend marked a significant milestone, showcasing maturity and readiness that positions him firmly among the sport’s rising equine stars. As the third leg of the Western European League, this victory carries considerable significance for the World Cup Season, and Jumping Verona plays an important role in shaping qualification for the 2026 Final. Deusser’s win places him among the early leaders on the league standings, and the consistent performances from the rest of the field highlight the depth and competitiveness of the series.
As the series moves on to its next leg, Verona leaves the sport with a sharper sense of which riders are in form and which horses are poised to advance. Performances here refine ambitions and influence strategy, and 2025 proved no exception. What unfolded in Verona will echo through the decisions made in the weeks ahead, marking it as one of the most telling early indicators of the indoor season.
